I Saw Jesus

Christ always had a plan for us. When he taught, he didn't bring a philosophy. He brought truth. The truth of Jesus Christ is that he came down from heaven and became a man. As a man he was abused and murdered on the Cross. He then rose and beat death forever. Why? So that we could have life.

So what does that life look like? We are called to be the body of Christ. To bring the Spirit with us wherever we go. We are called to be Jesus to the world. I experienced that today. I was in a rough patch, times were alright. But nothing special, not chasing demons, but not sprinting towards Christ either. Just altogether a valley of sorts. I guess thats how the low times happen, we don't even realize completely how far from God we think we've gone, but we just can find the nerve to turn and run back to him, it just feels weird.

But today was different. I saw Jesus. Ok, I didn't see the scarred hands or the punctured side, but one of my friends did show me the love of Christ in his/her actions. We'll call them Taylor. Taylor came to me today and showed me in a tangible way how God loves us even when we aren't on fire for him. Taylor, like Jesus, invited me to restore a relationship that had been in regression. When I was with Taylor today I didn't see any forced attempt to be a "Super-Christian". There was no attempt to coax me in the right direction. I saw Jesus today. Taylor was living out the call that God gives all of us. We are told to love our brothers and sisters. Even when I hadn't reached out to Taylor as I knew I should have, Taylor reached out to me. God's love is relentless.

And that really is where it all starts. Choosing day by day to answer to the mandate that God has placed upon all of us. I saw Jesus today. Not through miracles or supernatural phenomena, but through a Christan answer the call of Christ and living as Jesus did. Taylor probably didn't even realize just exactly the message that they conveyed to me today, but that is ok. Christ never promised that we'd have all the answers, that we would know just exactly what we did for the kingdom. But, I do know this: through Taylor, a Christian living their life for God, Jesus spoke to me a message of grace. I mess up, I'm forgiven. I desperately needed to hear that message. Thank you *Taylor*. Even if you never know, you've changed my trajectory, righted my direction straight back onto Christ.

So through what God has shown me today I leave this challenge. Be Jesus. Don't try and be perfect or act out the holier-than-thou life. Simply walk in the ways of the Greatest Teacher. Love people. Give grace. Let the Spirit work. Someone was my Jesus today, now its my turn to be Jesus to others. A life for Christ is the only life worth living. Godbless

-matt

Hello Hurricane: An essay on Boldness

Before you read this, go to Switchfoot's myspace and listen to the title track of their new album, Hello Hurricane. Here's the link http://www.myspace.com/switchfoot .

In my opinion one of their best songs yet. But I want to take a closer look at these lyrics:

Hello Hurricane
You're not enough
You can't silence my love
I've got doors and windows boarded up
All your dead end fury is not enough
You can't silence my love

Im a fighter fighting for control
Im a fighter fighting for my soul
Everything inside of me surrenders
You can't silence my love
You can't silence my love

They made me think thats for sure. But I just started to really dive into the message it was proclaiming. The words declare that not even a hurricane can silence my love. But what does that mean? I think it declares our fearless and unrelenting love for our Savior. We're taking every stop we can to ensure that we're living for him and not giving in to pressures from this world. And the bridge drives it home for me. We really are soldiers of Christ in this world, and as soldiers we are constantly under attack from the enemy. Spiritually, mentally, physically, we are just assaulted every day. How do we prevail? By surrender.

This song declares a bold surrender. A confident submission to Christ. I recall Hebrews 4:14-16 where it says that we should be confident because of what Christ has done for us. Yes, This song gets me pumped up to go into the world and fight for Christ. But I don't think that is what this song means to convey. As Christians the greatest thing we can do for God today is surrender and admit we aren't capable of doing anything that God couldn't just have done for himself. That's really hard for me to swallow, honestly. I don't like not having control, I hate admitting that the circumstances are beyond me.

But as I just look at my life and see the "blood red" skies rolling in, all the challenges and opposition that I will face in this life, I see that I really am inadequate. And now that I realize this, I feel so relieved. We have a God that is bigger than this earth. He's bigger than our struggles. When the storms come and we get swept away God is always chasing after us. The hardest part is admitting our need.

We live in a society bent on self preservation and success. If you can't do it yourself then you aren't man enough. If you aren't pretty then you're a failure. If I cheat on my taxes just this one time, I'll make so much more money. If I work hard enough then I'll make enough money to be happy. If i do this.... Don't you see the problem. Our proclamation should be one of boldness! We should greet the trials and storms with the declaration that anything that comes our way is not enough. Nothing can overcome the love that Christ has in our life. When hard times come the world tends to look at Christians. When we respond with that characteristic joy of Christ, people notice. Hello hurricane, you can't silence my love. Hello hurricane, I have Christ. Hello hurricane, I won't be overcome. In fact, we will overcome. Christ has given us victory! We have a joy burning inside of us that enables us to face the storms of life boldly!

Now the question changes. No longer do we ask, "What can I do for Christ today?", although that is a valid question. Now we can proclaim. "I surrender Christ, I need you today, use me however you want." Everything I have I count as lost. Do we really believe that? Imagine how great life can be if we have nothing holding us back. Material goods mean nothing, Christ means everything. I recall a sermon that Dan Slagle preached at Faithbridge a while ago. He talked about being a dangerous Christian. We shouldn't live life passively. We shouldn't wake up, go to school/work, come home, go to bed, repeat. Sure those actions will be a part of our lives, but what will our story look like? How will we be remembered. With that surrender we can make the focus of our life Jesus Christ. We can be dangerous to Satan. People are going to notice. If you're a dangerous Christian the fight will just got harder, but the rewards in heaven will be greater.

For a second just contemplate the miracle of your salvation. How could a God powerful and awesome enough to create and control a hurricane love you with a furious and passionate love? I agree it doesn't make much sense. So my closing challenge would be this: don't cower from the world and its struggles. Be bold. Live dangerously. Hello Hurricane, you can't silence my love! Let this be the cry of your heart. This all starts with surrender. Stand before a holy perfect God and tell him that you aren't enough. Paul was the first to tell everyone that he was the worst of sinners. Through his admittance he served as a mouthpiece to bring God even further glory. God I admit that I'm a wretched sinner. God I admit that without your love my life is meaningless. I surrender to you. Have you way with me. Allow me to say with conviction, Hello Hurricane.

-matt

The Many, The Proud, thus the Problem: An Essay on Culture

"I'm awesome."
What's that? You think that sentence sounds conceited? Well, that's probably because it is. But too often isn't that what goes through our mind? I mean we might not consciously brag on our every action, don't we as a society value success? Newsflash, society as a whole more often that not has yet to concur with the teachings and works of Jesus Christ.

Our culture values those who reach the top, the professional football player that frequently gets the MVP and wins the most superbowls, the beautiful actress who inspires young girls to aspire to her status. Or how about the scientist who finds a cure for a world-wide disease. Then we always have the young singing sensations that our children dream of becoming because TV has marketed to them what looks like "the perfect life." Now compare those images to this: Jesus Christ crucified, hung on a cross after being brutually tortured.

Naturally that doesn't really constitute success does it? We preach the "Me-First" gospel in America, the constant climbing of the ladder of success (but where does this ladder lead?) Christ didn't bring that news. Christ came to spread the "You Can't, I Did" Gospel. The simple truth is that we are saved by his work on the cross and we can't do anything to pay our way further.

So why do we laud the Hollywood faces, the famed athletes, or the rock stars? Why do some of us want that same fame? We are a selfish generation. Our first instinct is to deny that previous sentence, to say that we're not that bad, but aren't we? We worship the success of others and take pride in every little thing that we do. Conversely, Jesus did say in Luke 13:30 "Indeed there are those who are last that will be first, and first who will be last." Our goal should not be fame (having people honor and serve us), but the opposite, honoring and serving our Lord.

Jesus never fit into his society. People thought he was a freak. Call it whatever you will but Jesus was different, his life mattered. Don't we want to have an eternal impact in our world? So now the question is how. How can we live for Christ in a culture that urges us to live for ourselves? Well, it certainly is not easy but it is so worth it. I think that since Christ is the most important part (and should totally consume our lives) we start there. We must relize that it isn't important who we are. Like it or not in 4 generations (give or take a few) no one is going to know you. So 100 years removed from today, what will matter? Will it be who (insert your name here) WAS. Or will it matter who Jesus Christ IS?

If we wan't to really be Christ to our culture we must always remember that it isn't our name, but Christ's fame that is important. only Christ matters. Before we start blindly following our society, check Scripture, see what God had to say on such matters, because He's right over culture every time.
-matt

Prayer Request and Scripture

The following three passages of scripture God has revealed as highly important in my life for the foreseeable future. Pray these verses over me and with me this next season of my life

Philippians 4:11-13

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Ephesians 3:14-21

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Romans 12:1

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship."

-matt

thanks in advance for all of the support. to God be the glory!